Embracing AI in Sales
There have been a lot of posts about the recent advancements in AI, especially around Large Language Models like ChatGPT, the integration with Microsoft Office products, and Google’s Bard. I worked with Nokia and Microsoft during the digital assistant revolution (hashtag#Cortana was ahead of its time), and the excitement now is even more palpable. More than just assistants, the new breed of innovation is moving into the realm of truly augmenting human capability- even at its current state.
With a background in sales and enablement of nearly two decades, this is where I tend to focus my attention- and the changes over the past few years have been enormous. Technologies that have been around for decades, like CRMs, have made exponential leaps, and new technologies are coming into existence that can forever change the landscape of sales. The increasing prevalence of sales automation tools now allows sales teams to streamline their processes and improve their results like never before.
How is AI making its mark in sales? By automating a wide range of non-selling tasks that can account for up to 70% of salesperson's time, like data entry, lead generation & scoring, and follow-up tasks. This allows sales teams to focus on revenue generation and more complex, high-value activities that require a human touch, such as building relationships with prospects, providing personalized solutions, and closing deals.
In a lot of the articles recently, and in fear-inducing social media posts, so-called experts and non-experts are talking about complete displacement of entire workforces. And while there are a lot of activities, and even entire jobs, that can be done through automation and AI- it's important to note that AI is not going to replace human sales professionals entirely, especially in complex sales.
While AI can automate many of the repetitive tasks involved in the sales process, it cannot replace human interaction entirely, especially when emotional intelligence is needed. In transactional sales, where the sales process is more straightforward and less reliant on personal relationships, AI could play a larger role in the buyer-seller experience, helping move the deal through many of the gates in the sales process using automated actions.
The continued integration of AI in the sales process requires a new set of skills, including data analysis, programming, and an understanding of AI algorithms. Sales teams and sales leadership will need to embrace a learning culture that fosters collaboration across all levels of the revenue org. Companies will also need to find the right balance of people and technology, emphasizing emotional intelligence in humans to complement the analytical power of AI.
Revolutions in technology are not new, and discomfort with the impending changes are a tale as old time. Technology like the printing press, the cotton gin, engines, electricity, radio and internet, along with universal technological revolutions such as the industrial revolution the current digital revolution all upended the traditional way of doing things. People were uncomfortable while the “normal way of doing things” changed and many had a deep distrust of these changes. But just as these advancements paved the way for better quality of life and working conditions overall, the current iteration of the digital revolution, which is marked by mobile and AI, will create even greater opportunities.
It is important to stay informed about AI updates and advancements in order to stay ahead of the curve. It is also important to focus on how each of us can participate effectively and ethically in the continued evolution of work and commerce. Sales teams should be proactive in seeking out the latest developments in AI technology and how they can be applied to their sales processes. By doing so, they can ensure that they're always leveraging the latest AI tools and techniques to improve their results and stay ahead of the competition.
AI is already having a significant impact on the sales industry and has the potential to revolutionize it even further in the coming years. Sales teams that embrace AI and develop the necessary skills to integrate it into their sales processes will be better positioned to succeed as we move forward.
What ways are your teams using AI and technology to improve?
